As discussed in last year’s Summer Movie blog, the movie trailer is a marketing staple for all film distributors.  A trailer that gets lots of play on video sharing sites like YouTube can dramatically increase the chance of success for that movie.  There are a number of anticipated movies that have seen their trailers get millions of views and others that could be potential sleepers.

So, based on the movie trailer, here are out picks for this summer’s top movies:

The Avengers

Release Date:  May 4th

Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. assemble a team of superheroes to help save the Earth from peril.  Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye form the core of the super group, based on characters created by Marvel Comics.  Robert Downey, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson add star power to the highly anticipated movie.  Plans for the film were first announced back in 2005 and anticipation grew, especially after the success of the Iron Man movie in 2008.

With over 20 million Youtube views, the movie trailer promises lots of action, special effects and larger-than-life situations.  Add well established characters to the mix and you have a promising recipe for a box office blockbuster.  Like a lot of the films on our list, the movie is in 3-D for the express purpose of making you pay more to see it.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Release Date: June 22nd

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States.  He makes it his mission to eliminate them.  Now that may sound really cool to some and just plain stupid to others.  This has the possibility to be either a hit or a bomb, depending on early word-of-mouth.  Produced by Tim Burton, the film is based on a novel by the same name… and of course, it’s in 3-D.

The trailer did look pretty awesome, so we hope it’ll be the type of flick that lives up to its high-concept premise.  If it does, don’t be surprised if we see George Washington, Zombie Killer next summer.

That’s My Boy

Release Date: June 15th

One of the few promising comedies this summer, That’s My Boy stars Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg.  Sandler plays Donny who fathered a son, Todd (Samberg) in middle school with his teacher.  He raises the boy on his own until Todd turns 18, then loses contact with him.  30 years later, Donny owes back taxes so he visits Todd, who has become a successful hedge fund manager, hoping to get $40,000 from his son.  Donny must first deal with the consequences of his poor parenting past.

The concept is solid and the trailer boasts a lot of funny moments.  Sandler and Samberg look like a pretty good comedy duo.  If this movie delivers more laughs than just what’s in the trailer, That’s My Boy could be a sleeper amongst the big budget summer movies.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Release Date: July 3rd

Based on the popular Marvel comic book superhero, The Amazing Spider-Man is a reboot of the Spider-Man film series and the fourth Columbia Pictures movie featuring the web slinger.  The reboot went into development after the studio cancelled Spider-Man 4.  The last three Spider-Man films starred Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, the young man who gets bitten by a radioactive spider and turns into the costumed hero.  Now that lead role goes to Andrew Garfield.

While reaction to a new start of the franchise was originally lukewarm, the trailer has brought hope to many fans.  The tone of the movie looks darker and Spidey’s costume, the action and special effects look better than the previous attempts.  Plus, many fans never enjoyed Tobey Maguire portraying their beloved Spider-Man.

This film will be in 3-D as well.

Dark Shadows

Release Date: May 11th

Based on the ABC soap opera that aired from 1966 to 1971, Tim Burton directs and Johnny Depp stars in this big budget film adaptation.  After being imprisoned for two centuries, vampire Barnabas Collins is freed from his tomb and emerges into the world of 1972.  The trailer shows all the elements you’d expect from a Tim Burton movie; Johnny Depp (of course), Burton’s wife Helen Bonham Carter, rich set design, plenty of oddball characters and a score by Danny Elfman.

Tim Burton is one of today’s most interesting directors, although his track record with revamping franchses is spotty (Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland) so it remains to be seen if he can make Dark Shadows work as a spoof.  This is such a far departure from the TV series, it’ll be interesting to see if fans of the original Dark Shadows fans warm up to it or not.  That being said, the trailer looks hilarious and it’s piqued our desire to go see it on the big screen.

Men in Black III

Release Date: May 25th

Once again Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back in action.  This time Agent J (Smith) travels in time to MIB’s early years in the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K (Jones) and changing history.

Of course the movie will be in 3-D (groan) but the trailer was funny and promised some pretty cool special effects.  The movie has the potential to be a hit, but it also has a very real chance of being a disappointment.  It’s been widely reported that there were all kinds of production problems related to this movie, including script concerns – and that’s never a good thing.

The Dark Knight Rises

Release Date: July 20th

This film is the third installment in director Christopher Nolan’s Batman film series, and is intended to be the last (rest assured it will be rebooted again in a few years by another director).  Following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman assumes responsibility for Dent’s crimes to protect Dent’s reputation and is subsequently hunted by the Gotham City Police Department.  Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman returns to Gotham, where he encounters the mysterious Selina Kyle (Catwoman) while stopping the villain Bane’s plans to destroy the city.

This movie was in jeopardy of being not being produced as Christopher Nolan didn’t want to make it unless he found a worthwhile storyline.  Eventually he did and decided that the film would be worth committing to.  Given Nolan’s track record, if he’s excited about the story then we’re excited too.

As with Nolan’s previous Batman movies, there’s a lot of anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises and it will probably rival The Avengers for the top superhero movie of 2012.   The trailer has millions of Youtube views and the buzz gets stronger as the release date draws nearer.

One note worth mentioning… The Dark Knight Rises will NOT be in 3-D (thank you Mr. Nolan!).

Prometheus

Release Date: June 8th

Directed by Ridley Scott, Prometheus was originally conceived as a prequel to Scott’s 1979 classic, Alien.  But as the script developed, it became more of its own idea than another Alien movie, although Scott says Prometheus shares “strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak”.  Judging by comments on message boards, this has confused a lot of potential moviegoers who see a very cool trailer, but wonder if the movie is another Alien movie or an Alien rip-off.  The answer is neither.  It’s an unofficial prequel to Alien… and while we’re not exactly sure what that means, we’re still excited to see it on the big screen.

The similarities to Alien may hurt or help Prometheus, only time will tell.  However, the trailer looks visually stunning and has obvious similarities to the original Alien – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

The Dictator

Release Date: May 11th

Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) stars in a “heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed”.  Cohen can be hit or miss at times, but the trailer has a lot of laughs and the film is generating considerable buzz.  The film opens the same day as Dark Shadows and just a week after The Avengers debuts – so it will be interesting to see if people will flock to see this movie or wait for DVD.

Snow White and the Huntsman

Release Date:  June 1st

This is a very different treatment of the classic tale of Snow White.  This time, Princess Snow White escapes her evil stepmother with the help of a huntsman who was supposed to kill her, but instead trains her to fight back.

The movie looks dark and suspenseful, and looks far different than the recent Snow White movie, Mirror, Mirror.  The special effects, cinematography and star power (Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart) make this a potential summer sleeper.

What are you looking forward to seeing the most?  Tell us your favorites in the comments section below!

It also got us thinking about traveling in general and what tips we could pass along to you, whether your ventures take you on business trips, corporate retreats, tradeshows, amusement parks or just relaxing vacations with the family.  Here are some of the favorite tips from the Captivation Media staff.

1.  Wash Your Hands (Constantly)

Maybe we sound a lot like your mother on this one, but it’s the most important tip on our list.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a cruise, sitting on a plane, dining in a restaurant or relaxing by a pool in a foreign country, a vacation usually involves coming in contact with other people from different parts of the U.S. and around the world.  Diseases are much more likely to spread rapidly in vacation scenarios.  Some diseases can be spread before the symptoms are even apparent.

Your hands will undoubtedly touch bathroom handles, rails, tables and other surfaces that many others have previously touched.  Washing your hands often, with soap and warm water, is a wise idea.  Also, avoid putting your hands near your mouth or rubbing your eyes when you’re out in public.  It’s also helpful to bring hand sanitizer to clean your hands after touching public doorknobs.

If you’re on a cruise, you’ll see hand sanitizing stations throughout the ship.  Take advantage of these.  One of our team members came down with the dreaded Norwalk virus years ago and spent the rest of his vacation in the bathroom of his cabin.  Not fun.

If you’re planning to cruise, check out the Centers for Disease Control’s Vessel Sanitation Program which inspects and grades cruise ships for cleanliness.  You can view individual ships’ scores on the site (Norwegian Sky had a perfect score of 100).  Of course, cruise passengers have contracted the Norwalk virus on ships that had high CDC scores too, so it still pays to constantly wash your hands, no matter how or where you travel.

If you’re flying, remember that your tray table is rarely, if ever, cleaned.  Wipe it yourself before you use it.  And avoid the airline’s pillows and blankets.  They are only washed when they are visibly dirty (in other words, almost never).

2.  Have a Packing Checklist

Make your list early and revise as your trip gets closer.  Thinking you’ll remember everything at the last minute is a recipe for disaster.  Forgetting an essential item will result in lost time searching for a place to purchase it and/or paying a premium for it.  A packing checklist will also give you peace of mind that you didn’t forget anything.

When travelling with a partner of family members, usually everyone packs their own luggage.  But if one bag is lost that one person may have nothing for the whole trip.  Instead, it’s smart to split items up into several bags.  If one bag winds up missing, at least everyone will have some clothes to wear.

And remember to pack your carry-on bag wisely.  What would you need for a couple of days to live on if your luggage was lost or delayed?  Those are the items you should keep on you.  Always make sure to store prescription medications and car keys in your carry-on bag.

3.  Respect Your Neighbors

Yes, you are on vacation, but it doesn’t give you the right to slam your hotel door at 5am or talk loudly in the hallway of the cruise ship after midnight.  Other people are not keeping the same hours as you.  They have paid good money for their vacation and may wish for peace and quiet.

The same goes for talking loudly on the phone (anywhere), or texting in a dark place, like a theater.  The light from your cell phone is extremely annoying to the people sitting in back of you who want to watch the show.

4.  Negotiate Taxi Fare in Advance

Yes, shore excursions are huge moneymakers for the cruise line.  And yes, exploring the island may be more fun and less expensive on your own, but remember to negotiate that cab fare in advance.  If you fail to, then it’s possible some cabbies could take advantage of you and charge you whatever they think they can shake you down for.  You could wind up broke or in jail.  Neither of those are desirable options, especially when you’re in a foreign country.

5.  Avoid Sea / Motion Sickness

Whether your vacation takes you out to sea, in the air or on the road, motion sickness is something that may affect you or the people you are traveling with.  The best thing to do is prepare in advance.  While motion sickness is almost always preventable, it’s quite hard to cure once you start to feel sick.

We DO NOT recommend Dramamine!  In our opinion, it is probably the worst remedy you can take.  Not only is it ineffective for most individuals, but it also makes a lot of people very sleepy, which could ruin your vacation fun.  Scopolamime (the patch behind your ear) can also have some unwanted side effects.  Instead, try these two options:

Sea Band – It is a pressure point therapy wrist band, and works just like Chinese acupressure.  It helps symptoms of motion sickness by applying continuous pressure on the two tendons near the wrist.

Ginger – Ginger helps to settle your stomach and works quickly after digestion.   It is easy to take in many forms; pills, candy, powder, even a glass of ginger ale will do the trick.

The best thing about these two remedies is that they can work together without any side effects.  So keep both on hand whenever you’re traveling with someone who is prone to motion sickness.

6.  Use Your Digital Camera or Camera Phone

Mobile phones can be used for just about anything these days, but they can also be an asset to help with your vacation.

Have you ever written down the parking space number before a long trip, only to lose the piece of paper?  Try taking a picture of the parking space sign instead.  Snap a picture of your luggage before your trip so you can identify your bags or show an attendant what it looks like if it comes up missing.  Also, it’s helpful to take a picture of your itinerary and other records in case you need to quickly reference them.

7.  Scan Important Documents

Scan items like driver’s licenses, passports, birth certificates, etc.  Then email the files to yourself.  If there is an emergency, you can access these important documents on your smartphone or anywhere there’s an internet connection.  Hopefully, you’ll never have to use them, but if you do, these files may be a vacation saver.

What are your favorite travel tips?  We welcome your comments and suggestions so other readers can benefit as well.  We want to hear from you!

Giving Opportunities, With Just a Click

Community Youth Development – located in South West Florida,  creates environments, events, and activities that cultivate leadership and support positive choices. Launched in 1996, CYD is an unqualified success serving thousands of middle and high school aged youth each year.

Captivation Media has been involved with CYD for over 5 years and is a huge supporter of their endeavors.  When approached to help drive a large amount of traffic to their profile page in a short period of time – we jumped at the opportunity.  During this 36-hour challenge, nearly our entire team focused on the task at hand and were ecstatic at the overwhelming response from the community and the outstanding result – $5,000 first place prize to CYD for the largest amount of traffic driven!  100 charities where participating in the challenge.

Visit them on the web at: CYDOnline.org

Learn more about the Giving Partner at: TheGivingPartner.org

Planting a Garden of Success

Captivation Media is proud to support Native Son Landscaping, Inc. – a family owned and operated business located in South West Florida.  Since the launch of their new website and social media campaigns, Native Son has experienced a 500% increase in the amount of new business being driven to their organization.  We are delighted at the success they have received from the hard work of our team and look forward to working with them for years to come!

Visit them on the web at: NativeSonLandscaping.com

BioLife called on long time partner - cPR Marketing Group and their strategic alliance with Captivation Media to deliver the design and concept for the new WoundSeal website.  Building on the theme “Better Living Starts Today“, the new site was divided into sections that speak to each of the three most common types of visitors:

• Those on blood thinners – looking for a product to help them enjoy life again.
• Those who are “Caregivers” – looking for a product to help their spouse or child.
• Those who are “Care-Abouters” – looking for a product to help their parent or loved one.

This approach effectively aligned the site’s visitors with information that best fit their specific needs, while also directing them to a wealth of other useful resources the site has to offer – such as video testimonials from users, news reports, and even doctor / nurse testimony!

Built on a world-class content management system and coupled with an extensive search engine optimization and social media effort, the new WoundSeal.com has proven itself far beyond previous releases.  This was another successful collaboration between Captivation and cPR Marketing Group and has once again shown the value of this strategic partnership.

Visit this project on the web at: WoundSeal.com

Using Pinterest as a Marketing Tool

So why aren’t businesses joining Pinterest?  They are… by the boatload.  Now let’s examine how to use Pinterest as a marketing tool for your small business.

USE PROPER ETIQUETTE

First things first; Pinterest is about lifestyle and sharing cool visual images. Blatant self-promotion is discouraged and frowned upon by both Pinterest and its users.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t use Pinterest to benefit your business.  Find creative ways to share stuff rather than concentrating on selling stuff.  You need to ‘connect’ with Pinterest users in order build a following.  We give you some ideas on how to do that below.

SIGN UP YOUR BUSINESS

If you have already signed up on Pinterest with a personal account and it’s connected with your Facebook login, there’s no need to fear.  While you still can’t connect your Pinterest account to your Facebook business page, you can still use the login from your Twitter account.  If you don’t have a Twitter business account, you should sign up for one first.  Pinterest will pull in your profile picture from your Twitter account for you.   Create a user name and you’ll have a Pinterest business account.

If you need an invitation, please contact us and Captivation Media will be happy to send you one.

BUILD YOUR PINBOARDS

The first thing you should do is create a few pinboards.  Remember, Pinterest is a visual social media experience, so you’ll need to pin your best images if you’ll want to succeed.  Just pinning stuff to fill out your boards will result in a pile of boring junk that will excite no one.  You should only pin interesting, visually stimulating items that will appeal to people who might be potential customers.  Let people find your boards organically and be attracted by the images you pin.

Let’s look at a few examples of how certain businesses might be able to use their boards effectively.

Pet Grooming Salon – An obvious board would be of pets after their grooming.  Another board could be photos of the equipment used and quality supplies.  But less obvious boards might include photos of interesting doghouses, or funny slogans that use animals in their images.  Maybe a board of the best pet Halloween costumes that you can find on the internet.  Another idea is to ask pet owners to send in photos of them with their animals.  All of these images will add interest and value to the viewer and keep them coming back to look at new photos.

Mexican Restaurant – An obvious board would be photos of your best dishes.  Other less obvious but just as effective boards might include travel photos from Mexico or classic Mexican art.  Capture the essence of Mexico and you’ll put viewers in the mood for Mexican food.

Fitness Gym – Obvious boards would include photos of your equipment and the fit trainers employed at your fitness center.  Less obvious boards might be photos of this year’s best swimsuits – so people have goals to work out more.  Another board might be of fitness how-to’s that you find on the web, showing proper lifting and breathing techniques, etc.  And don’t forget before and after photos of customers that have achieved their goals?

Tax Preparer – Not as glamorous but still can benefit from Pinterest.  How about a board of exotic places that people can go with their refund checks?  Or how about a board filled with museum paintings of the founding fathers to make people feel more patriotic about paying their taxes?  Since most of your clients will be local, another nice touch might be creating a board for the sports teams in the area… if you’re a sports enthusiast.  If not, what other local interests can you post?

These are just an example of the possibilities on Pinterest.  Use your imagination and you’ll be able to come up with lots of ideas that viewers will love.

OTHER TIPS & TRICKS

• Add the ‘Pin It’ button to your website so people can easily share your items to their Pinterest boards.  The link back to your website will be included so others can discover your site too.  The Pinterest social sharing button is becoming increasingly popular on websites.  There’s no reason not to put it on yours.
• Not every image needs to link back to your website or internet store – nor should it.  But make sure that the images that can be linked are.  Click ‘Add’ in the upper right hand corner, then the ‘Pin it’ button.  An address bar will appear where the link to the image can be included.  Now the image will provide a direct link back to the website.
• Has your business created any eBooks or PDF manuscripts?  Use the cover of the book as a pin with a link to the book.
• Host a contest.  Contests are a great way to create excitement and drive traffic back to your website.  There are a number of creative things you can do on Pinterest, i.e. ask people to post pictures of them using your product or have your customers send their photos to you and create a special pinboard.  The best or most popular photo wins a prize.  Just make sure you read Pinterest’s guidelines so you understand what’s allowable.
• Give detailed descriptions about each pin.  Use solid key words that people will use in the Pinterest search function and more people will be able to find your pins.
• Post trade-related videos.  Become a helpful source for people looking for answers in your field.  This can help position yourself as an expert in your industry.
• Engage with users.  ‘Like’, ‘Repin’ and ‘Comment’ on other pins.  ‘Follow’ other like-minded individuals.  They may return the favor and start following you as well.
• Use responsibly.  Like other social media networks, Pinterest can be a valuable tool but it can also suck up your time before you know it.  Set goals and time limits so it doesn’t eat away at your productivity.

Please follow Captivation Media on Pinterest!

Are you more likely to set up a Pinterest account now?  Do you feel it would help your business increase traffic to your site?  If you are using Pinterest already, please share with our users how this new social network is benefiting your business.  We want to hear from you!

WHAT IS PINTEREST?

On their website, Pinterest describes itself this way:

“Pinterest is a virtual pinboard.  Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”

Let’s say you hang up a large cork bulletin on your wall.  You label this board “My Vacations” and pin your favorite vacation photos to it.  Pleased with your board, you hang another.  This time the theme is dream homes (think ‘vision’ board).  You pin multiple photos to that board as well.  And so on and so forth.

When your friend comes over, you show her your wall of boards.   She’s impressed and decides to create her own wall of bulletin boards with images.  Of course, there are a few images of yours that she likes and makes copies of those for her boards.

Now, whenever a friend or relative comes over, you’re excited for them to see your boards.  Each board says a little bit about you and you’re proud of the images you’ve collected.  Some boards only appeal to specific friends, but that’s okay.  They are your boards and not like anyone else’s.  Soon, your friends are starting their own board collections.

This is what is happening with Pinterest, except it’s happening in cyberspace.  You can have as many boards as you like and give different themes.  And millions of people have the ability to see your images and ‘repin’ (share) them.  And you have that same ability as well.  You can follow specific boards and be followed too.

Pinterest is currently a very hot social media phenomenon.  And when we mean hot, we mean white hot.  Pinterest was the fastest independent website to hit 10 million monthly unique in the U.S. and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

THE HISTORY OF PINTEREST

Pinterest was founded by Evan Sharp, Ben Silberman and Paul Sciarra.  Previously Sharp was on the design team of Facebook and Silberman was a product specialist at Google.  Sciarra worked in venture capital, so although they were relatively unknown before Pinterest, they had acquired quite a bit of knowledge.  Together they formed Cold Brew Laboratories and soon after, created Pinterest.  The three appear to be press-shy and the details surrounding how Pinterest was formed is somewhat lacking in content.

This much we know; the idea for Pinterest started because Sharp and Silberman were avid collectors.  They thought putting collections online would be cool.  Pinterest began development in late 2009, although the idea for it began as a private project of Silberman’s in 2008 as he was leaving Google (just as the economy was nose diving).  The site launched in early 2010 as a closed beta site.  From there it became open beta by invitation only.  Now anyone can register on Pinterest after requesting an invitation.

The website’s growth has been impressive.  Pinterest grew from 40,000 monthly unique visitors in October, 2010 to 3.2 million a year later in October of 2011.  In December, 2011 Pinterest blasted into the top ten social networks.  The next month, Pinterest passed the 11million monthly unique user mark, crossing the ten million benchmark faster than any standalone site in history.  TechCrunch proclaimed the company the best new startup of 2011.

Now Pinterest is driving more referral traffic to retailers than LinkedIn, Youtube and Google + combined.  The company recently received $27 million in venture financing and the website is rumored to be valued at $200 million.  Rumors have it that Google indirectly expressed interest in buying Pinterest for a bucket of cash (hundreds of millions of dollars) but the founders weren’t interested in selling… at least not yet.

Even though three men created the company, Pinterest began by marketing to women.  Even now you’ll see lots of recipes, decorating tips, fashion photos and wedding ideas.  However, men are beginning to realize that Pinterest isn’t just for women.  There are lots of boards popping up that are dedicated to cars, sports, horror movies and other subjects that men will find interesting.

WHY IS PINTEREST BECOMING SO POPULAR?

It’s not like Pinterest is a new idea.  Other social sites such as Instragram, Tumblr, Path and Flickr are filled with cool images too, but Pinterest has caught on like wildfire.  For one thing, it’s easy to use.  Once invited, we were able to register quickly and began ‘pinning’ with ease.  The site didn’t feel intimidating or overwhelming to use.

A lot of Pinterest’s initial appeal happened organically.  This wasn’t a site where the techies were the first ones in looking for the next best thing, like what happened with Google+.  It was the homemaker that began using the site.  They were sharing baking ideas and decorating tips, not looking for the next cool tech site.

Another reason why Pinterest is becoming so popular is that it isn’t focused on what party you went to last night or what you had for breakfast.  It’s less about boasting and not so ego-driven as Facebook or Twitter.  Instead, Pinterest is about what you like and aspire to be.  It’s more about saying “Look what I found” rather than “Look what I’m doing”.  It’s sharing in its purest form with viewers getting as much satisfaction from the process as the people posting the images.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

(In case you only want to start a business profile, please read next week’s blog before setting up your account.)

It’s pretty easy.  You can head over to Pinterest.com and click on the “Request an Invite” button.  However we’ve been told it may take a few days to a few weeks to get your invite.  If you know someone who is already on Pinterest, we recommend that you ask them to invite you.  This will be a much faster way to get signed up.

If you need an invitation, please contact us and Captivation Media will be happy to send you one.

Once invited, you’ll need to create a login using your Facebook or Twitter account.  This is your personal preference but keep in mind, some workplaces block Facebook, so your Pinterest account might not be able to communicate with Facebook in some instances.

Next you’ll set up your profile page.  Like many social media profiles, it will show your display name (you choose), a profile picture and brief bio.  Your profile will also show the number of followers you have and how many you’re personally following.

You’ll notice Pinterest starts you out with five boards.  You can keep these boards, but you don’t have to.  Just below each board is an edit bar.  When you click on ‘edit’ you can name or rename a board, write a description, choose a category for the board and decide whether you’re the only one who can pin or if there are other contributors.  Once done, make sure you click on the ‘Save Board Settings’, otherwise your changes will be lost.  You can add new boards at any time by clicking on the ‘Add’ button in the upper right hand side and choosing ‘Create a Board’.

Before you go crazy making lots of boards, you should spend some time looking around the site for ideas.  If you are logged in, click on the Pinterest logo located on the top center of the page.  This will take you to your Pinterest ‘home’ which is a lot like your Facebook and Twitter home page.  This is where you’ll see all of the recent ‘pins’ of the people you follow.  Likewise, your followers will also be able to see all of your pins as well.

If you see a pin of interest, you can ‘Repin’, ‘Like’, or ‘Comment’.  Repinning will place the image on your desired board and be added to your collection.  If you want to go back to your boards just click on your profile name in the upper right hand corner of the page.

The ‘search’ button on the upper left hand allows you to search for a description in ‘Pins’, ‘Boards’ or ‘People’.  You are able to follow people or just specific boards that they have.  You can also ‘pin’ images and videos from other sites or from pictures on your own computer.

Spend just a few minutes on Pinterest and you’ll discover just how easy the site is to use.

Now that you know what Pinterest is and how it works, it’s time to discuss how using Pinterest can benefit your business.  Stay tuned next week for Part Two for tips and tricks on using Pinterest as a valuable marketing tool.

Please follow Captivation Media on Pinterest!

Have you signed up on Pinterest yet?  Have you enjoyed the ease and simplicity that this social media site offers?  If you aren’t on Pinterest yet, are you planning to?  Let us know your thoughts.  We want to hear from you!

The Super Bowl is the one time of the year when people actually look forward to the television ads, which is what sponsors are counting on.  Over 111 million people watched the game on Sunday evening and the average amount of one 30 second Super Bowl TV spot cost sponsors $3.5 million, not to mention the hefty production costs associated with many of these commercials.  And with many advertisers booking 60 second spots for story-based ads, the big game also represents a big gamble for these mini-movies to go viral and connect with viewers.

Fun Fact:  Americans drink over 300 million gallons of beer on Super Bowl Sunday.  That amount would fill nearly 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

More than 70 ads ran during the big game this year, but corporations didn’t stop at your TV screen.  Advertisers utilized QR codes, mobile strategies as well as numerous social media campaigns in an attempt to capture your attention.

Many of the big sponsors this year came out with early YouTube teasers for their Super Bowl ads.  Volkswagen introduced their teaser for its anticipated 60 second follow-up to last year’s Super Bowl ‘The Force’ commercial.  Released on January 18^th, the promo shows dogs in Star Wars costumes barking out the Imperial March song.  Prior to the start of the game, the teaser had over 12 million views.

Fun Fact:  The average viewer will consume 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat just from snacks – not meals – during the Super Bowl.

The Avengers movie came out with a ten second video to tease their anticipated Super Bowl commercial. In other words, they’ve released a teaser for their commercial, which is a teaser for their movie.  In contrast, the car manufacturer Kia previewed their Super Bowl ad in movie theaters.  The lines between advertising and entertainment are becoming rather blurred.

Fun Fact:  58% of Super Bowl watchers would rather take their bathroom breaks during the game, not during the commercials.

Advertisers were also seeking other ways to reach their highly prized Super Bowl audience this year.  Since nearly 2 out of every 3 smartphone, laptop and tablet owners use their device while watching TV, savvy corporations are targeting these devices (called second screens) to engage viewers while they watch the game.

For example, Chevrolet introduced a Super Bowl app for smartphones that allowed users the ability to win prizes.  Coca Cola let viewers watch their animated polar bears (one rooting for the Giants, one for the Patriots) via a microsite that showed the bears in real time and reacting to the game, the half-time show and even other commercials.  And Go Daddy featured a QR code in their ads this year (a first for a Super Bowl ad), which allowed people with smartphones to scan and take them directly to godaddy.com.

Fun Fact: About 30% of advertisers put over 10% of their annual media budget into the Super Bowl.

Watching the ads during the Super Bowl has become an event unto itself.  Nearly 99% of Super Bowl viewers stay in their seats for the commercials.  In fact, about 40% of viewers who watched the game aren’t even football fans – they just want to see the commercials.  And thanks to the rise of social media, these commercials will be Tweeted about, posted on Facebook and viewed repeatedly on video sharing websites.

As in the game itself, there are winners (like the Giants) and there are losers (sorry Pats).  So here, in Captivation Media’s opinion (and in no particular order), are the top ten Super Bowl commercials from 2012:

Audi 2012 Game Day Commercial – Vampire Party

This ad spoofing Twilight movies already had four million Youtube views before it aired during the Super Bowl.  The commercial features current pop culture with the right amount of humor and beautiful cinematography.

Fun Fact:  The cost of a Super Bowl TV spot has risen 8,333% since 1967 when a 30 second spot cost only $42,000.

It’s Reinvented! — Toyota Camry

This commercial represents a new direction for typical Toyota commercials and shows a fun, humorous side.  Although the car itself isn’t seen much here, Toyota is trying to reinvent the Camry – and this quirky ad might go a long way in achieving that goal.

Fun Fact:  The shortest Super Bowl commercial aired in 2009 by Miller High Life.  It lasted one second.

Doritos – Sling Baby — Crash the Super Bowl 2012 Finalist

This is one of the finalist in the Doritos ‘Crash the Super Bowl’ crowdsourcing campaign.  We thought this one was the clear winner and it proves once again, babies are usually a better bet than much higher priced celebrities when it comes to Super Bowl commercials.

Fun Fact:  This year, the average Super Bowl watcher spent nearly $64 on food and merchandise to watch the big game.

Official 2012 Honda CR-V Game Day Commercial – “Matthew’s Day Off”

Capitalizing on the timeless appeal of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Honda made a splash with this ambitious commercial.  The ad brings back memories and creates new smiles as Matthew Broderick takes a day off work to enjoy riding around in his CR-V (although we think it was much cooler when the car was a Ferrari).

Thinking that the teaser for this commercial was actually a teaser for a sequel to the movie, many fans were actually angry when they realized it was just an ad for a car commercial.

Fun Fact:  Super Bowl is one of the highest food consumption days of the year in the United States, second only to Thanksgiving.

“Cheetah” — Official big game ad for Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Animals are always popular in Super Bowl ads, but they don’t have to be cute and cuddly to be effective.  Hyundai has come up with a clever little commercial utilizing a cheetah, their Veloster Turbo and a very surprised animal wrangler.

Fun Fact:  Super Bowl ads featuring animals regularly perform better than commercials with well known celebrities.

The Dog Strikes Back: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial

Still riding high from last year’s hit Super Bowl commercial, Volkswagen’s ad featured a new story (featuring a cute dog, no less) but still paid tribute to the Star Wars theme from last year.  The commercial is 60 seconds long, but here you can see the extended 76 second ad.

Fun Fact:  Last year’s Super Bowl commercial for Volkswagen, The Force, has already piled up close to 50 million YouTube views.

“Transactions” Extended Version – 2012 Acura NSX Big Game Ad

Acura showed a lot of creativity with this commercial starring Jerry Seinfeld.  It left an impression, but like the Volkswagen as, it didn’t really show much of the car.  Will that gamble pay off?  Only time will tell.  You can watch the extended ad here.

Fun Fact:  Anheuser-Busch has spent over $239 million in Super Bowl ads between 2002 and 2011.  PepsiCo was second with $174 million.

Chevy Silverado “2012″ Super Bowl XLVI Ad

The end of the world may not be pleasant to think about, but Chevy made it look cool in this beautifully shot commercial.  Nice touch with the raining frogs at the end.  And hopefully they got Hostess Twinkies shared in some of the expense for this ad.

Fun Fact:  Not surprisingly, Super Bowl weekend is the slowest weekend of the year for weddings.

“A Dream Car. For Real Life.” — 2012 Kia Optima Big Game Full Commercial — Extended Version

Girls, humor, fairy dust and Motley Crue… what could be better than that?  This ad lots of creativity, a great soundtrack and more energy than most commercials.

Fun Fact:  Approx. 7 million Americans will call in sick on the Monday after the Super Bowl.

Chrysler Superbowl Commercial Clint Eastwood: Its Halftime in America

Famed actor Clint Eastwood gave a heart-felt talk about the American spirit and earned a spot on our list.  In a list dominated by funny ads, this one hit home and really stood out.

Fun Fact:  50% of Americans prefer to go to a Super Bowl party rather than a New Year’s Eve party.

What was your favorite Super Bowl ad from this year?  We look forward to hearing from you!

Fun Fact:  Cupid is the Roman god of love.  He was originally depicted as a young man that sharpened his arrows on a grindstone whetted with blood from an infant.  To make Valentine’s Day more palatable for their customers, business owners changed Cupid into a cute, chubby baby.

Whether you’re a fan of Valentine’s or not (there are plenty who are not), the commercial spending is good for our struggling economy.  The average adult will spend around $125 this year, ranking it third for holiday spending.  Is your small business capitalizing on Valentine’s Day?  If not, maybe you should rethink your marketing plan.

Fun Fact:  Valentine’s Day originally shared February 14^th with the observance of Groundhog Day.  Boyfriends who picked the wrong card to send were probably not boyfriends for long.

There’s a misconception that the holiday was created by the major greeting card companies like Hallmark.  And although roughly one billion Valentine cards are exchanged each year (second only to Christmas), the fact is, St. Valentine’s Day has been around a lot longer than that.

Fun Fact:  The oldest recorded Valentine was sent in 1415 by the English duke of Orleans from his jail cell in the Tower of London.

A BRIEF HISTORY

So how did St. Valentine’s Day become synonymous with love and romance?  The truth is no one really knows for sure.  Pope Gelasius first declared February 14^th to be St. Valentine’s Day in 498 AD, however the beginnings of the holiday started back even further.

The Catholic Church recognizes several saints named Valentine.   It’s anyone’s guess whether any of these saints were actually responsible for the romantic aspects of the day, however one of the more compelling legends centers on a third century Roman bishop with the name of Valentine.

Fun Fact:  Saint Valentine is the patron saint of engaged couples and lovers.  He’s also the patron sating of bee keepers, epilepsy and plagues.

When Emperor Claudius II decided to ban marriage for young men, thinking single men made better soldiers than married men; Valentine disagreed and wed young couples in secret.  Like most covert actions, word eventually got out and Claudius ordered the bishop to be executed.

While in prison, the legend says the bishop fell in love with the jailor’s daughter, who frequently visited him.  Just before his death, he wrote the girl a letter and signed it “from your Valentine”.  The facts of the legend may be debatable but the story has all the makings of a classic tale, including intrigue, danger, romance and a sympathetic lead character.  Whoever the real St. Valentine is, he couldn’t have ever imagined the affect he’d have on love and romance throughout the years.

Fun Fact:  March is the #1 month for sales of home pregnancy tests.

It’s also unclear if St. Valentine’s Day originated to commemorate his death (Some claim Valentine was executed on February 14^th, 270 AD) or to Christianize the pagan festival of Lupercalia which took place on February 15th.  Lupercalia was a fertility festival where young males would run around town, slapping women with strips of goat hides dipped in blood.  Thinking that the goatskins would make them more fertile, women welcomed these slaps from the boys.

Fun Fact:  These goat strips were called februa, which is how we got the word ‘February’.

Once the goatskin slap fest was over, the young women would write down their names and place them in a big urn.  The single men would then draw a name and be ‘paired’ with that woman for the coming year.  Later, this ‘lottery’ was outlawed because it was un-Christian.

In the Middle Ages, the link between Valentine’s Day and romance became stronger in countries like England and France because it was the start of the mating season for birds, which happened each year around February 14th.   St. Valentine’s wasn’t considered an official holiday until King Henry VIII of England declared it so in 1537.

By the 17^th century in countries like Great Britain and America, Valentine’s Day was gaining in popularity. The 18^th century saw notes and small gifts being exchanged by all social classes.  Esther A. Howland is credited for selling the first mass-produced Valentine’s Cards in America.  Before Henry Ford was credited for creating the assembly line, Esther created a mass production line for her handmade cards.  Her business thrived, taking in $100,000 a year, and was later sold to the Whitney Company.  She was given the moniker “The Mother of the American Valentine” after her death in 1904.

Fun Fact:  Teachers receive more Valentines than anyone else.

Now, Valentine’s Day is a multi-billion dollar business and is celebrated by many people from many different religions.  Young and old, everyone has been affected by the pressures of consumer advertising into buying cards, flowers, jewelry, chocolates and other gifts for their significant other.

Fun Fact:  About 15% of the U.S. women who receive Valentines flowers actually send the flowers to themselves.

VALENTINE’S DAY & YOUR BUSINESS

Just because your company isn’t a floral shop, jewelry store or restaurant doesn’t mean you have to miss out on opportunities created by Valentine’s Day.  There’s enough love (and money) to go around.  So this year, prepare for February 14^th by using a little creativity and marketing savvy; and fine tune your strategy this season.

Here are a few ideas to generate some creative thinking for your business:

Make it a Heart-Shaped World

Do you make pizza, donuts, burgers, etc.?  How about making your food product into the shape of a heart and offering a special?  The more non-traditional type of Valentine’s Day food it is, the more unique it will be.  Use your imagination, offer a special too good to pass up and then get the word out.  Don’t forget to let the media know as well.  You just might get on the evening news or mentioned in the features section of your local newspaper, which could make you very busy on Valentine’s Day.

This type of out-of-the-box thinking can apply to products other than food too.  How about a heart-shaped picture frame or a heart shaped box containing clothing or any other type of small product.  A heart box doesn’t have to be just for chocolates.

Use Social Media

Social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others can be used for brand awareness, but they should also be used to develop an online presence.  Valentine’s Day is a great time to make your presence known.  Consider posting some Valentine’s Day trivia or sharing articles like this one (hint, hint).  You might want to change your social avatar (profile picture) to a Valentine’s Day theme or to a charitable cause you are supporting.

You can also offer exclusive, Valentine-themed coupons to your social media followers.  Plus, depending on your business, you can build goodwill by offering Valentine shout-outs to your best customers or supporting vendors.  Everyone loves recognition and it puts you in a positive light by doing so.

Send your Customers a Valentine

You are used to getting cards from loved ones, but how many times do you get a Valentine from businesses you’ve supported?  If you’re like most of us, you probably won’t receive any at all.  As a small business owner, this is something you can take advantage of.  Send Valentines to your customers with a “We appreciate your business!” message inside.  You can include a special offer, however it should be something they will really use and want – otherwise the card will feel like an advertisement and not an appreciation card.  If in doubt, leave the offer out and just send the card.

Sell to Women

Nearly everyone focuses on marketing to men for Valentine’s Day.  Males do spend more (approx. $168) than their counterparts, but women spend money on their guys too.  In fact, on average, they’ll spend around $80.  Creating some Valentine promotions that women would love to buy for their men could wind up being profitable for your business and it’s a competitive marketplace too.

Sort Lists for Email Marketing

Valentine’s Day appeals to many, but the content of the message can differ between male and female, young and old.  Males might respond better to a humorous email, while women prefer a more sincere approach.  Men might also appreciate a reminder about the actual date while women would most likely be insulted by telling them that February 14th is Valentine’s Day.  And your tone might be different towards your young, single buyers than your married customers in their 60s.   So break down your email list and avoid sending out the same generic message to your entire customer base.

Find Strategic Partners

People think less linearly than before, so teaming up with another business to cross-market often makes good sense, even if the businesses don’t have a lot in common.  For instance, if you own a tire store, teaming up with a florist might seem like an odd marketing combo.  Your marketing ad might go something like this:  “Get ready to roll in style this February 14^th with Joe’s Wheels’ Valentine’s Day Special.  Buy four new tires to impress that special someone with and receive a floral bouquet from Sarah’s Flowers absolutely free.”

Men especially like to ‘fill two needs with one deed’.  Make their lives easier, especially on Valentine’s Day when a lot of men are lost on what to buy.

Wrap it Up

If you sell a product, offer to put it in a special Valentine’s wrapping or offer a special delivery service.  People, especially men, will appreciate the idea of a product being professionally wrapped and delivered.

Don’t Forget the Pets

This year, over nine million pet owners will buy their pet a gift for Valentine’s Day.  Don’t leave Fido out of the picture.  If you can tie in a pet theme for your Valentine promotion, your customers just might consider you the top dog.

Join the Anti-Valentine Movement

Not everyone celebrates Valentine’s Day.  Maybe your product or service lends itself to those who denounce the holiday.  Some celebrate ‘Quirkyalone Day’.  Others observe Single Awareness Day (S.A.D.).  Market to a growing anti-Valentine crowd could prove to be a hit if it’s marketed right.

Be Creative

While some people still cling to the time-honored tradition of flowers, cards & chocolates, many are looking for new, refreshing experiences.  This is a time to let your imagination run wild and think out of the box.  People enjoy giving, and receiving, creative and thoughtful gifts.  Make your brand a memorable experience and you just might create a loyal customer for life.

Is your business offering any specials or creative promotions for Valentine’s Day?  Let our readers know and promote your business by commenting below.  We want to hear from you!

In addition to creating an easily accessible landing page, Captivation also assisted in the development and promotion of a series of online cooking webisodes for More Flavor, Less Fire TV (also featured on the page).  The page also features further integration with their company Facebook Fan page to maximize sharing and exposure.

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